FLORENCE — Strangulation cases have risen sharply in the Pee Dee region, with the number of reports already outpacing last year’s total.
According to the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault, there was a spike of 19 reported cases within a 30-day period starting in mid-September, and while exact figures have not been finalized, the coalition expects October to end with an even higher number of incidents.
Typically, they see an average of only four strangulation cases a month, said Denine Mitchell, the Pee Dee Coalition’s assistant director of community victim services.
“Because we’re seeing this increase, we need the community to take action against it,” Mitchell said. “It can’t just be on us. It can’t just be on the victim survivors to come forward. It can’t just be on law enforcement. It can’t just be on the hospital. The community needs to come forward and say this is not okay. Love doesn’t have to look that way.”
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Mitchell said around four out of five victims she advocates for have experienced being strangled.
The Pee Dee Coalition’s banner brings attention to Domestic Violence Awareness Month, as seen on Oct. 20, 2026. The organization works to provide support for domestic violence and sexual assault victims.
Emily Mosier/Staff
In 2025, there were a total of 62 strangulation cases reported to McLeod Health, McLeod Carolina Forest and TeleSANE.
In comparison, there have already been 67 cases in 2026 across those same facilities — 52 of which occurred solely at McLeod in Florence. The victims range from ages 17 to 80, and include abuse from caretakers and family members.
However, this is only the second year where strangulation cases have been counted and tracked in the counties the Pee Dee Coalition works in.
Brian Bennett, a retired state officer and former co-chairman of the State Domestic Violence Task Force, said South Carolina is the only state without a standalone bill classifying strangulation as a crime, and therefore the state has no tracking mechanism for strangulation cases.
It’s concerning, he added, because data from other states shows that victims of strangulation have a nearly 800 percent increased risk of being murdered.
“What immediately goes through my mind is that is a very small sampling of a much bigger issue in South Carolina that we have failed to address,” Bennett said after learning of the recent spike in cases. “Each one of those people were a potential homicide that could have occurred at that moment, but I’m also concerned that they are a potential homicide victim in the future. I believe that the apathy in our state on this issue is endangering people. It’s getting people killed, and it’s making South Carolina one of the most dangerous states in the country.”
Bennett operates Clearview Justice Training and Consulting and educates those who work with vulnerable populations.
He spent years, without success, urging state lawmakers to pass bills that would classify non-fatal strangulation as a felony, create a tracking system, clearly define strangulation and create a “duty to inform” victims that they need to seek medical evaluation even if there is no external bruising or visible injuries.
“There are over 25 known medical complications with being strangled, many of which will cause lifelong injuries, and there’s also increased risk of death in the minutes, hours and even months after being strangled,” Bennett said. “So, if you survive a strangulation, you are not completely out of the woods. You may die from complications that you may not even know exist unless you get the correct medical triage. You may die months later.”
One risk is delayed stroke. Pressure on the neck can cause a tear in the inner lining of a blood vessel, causing a blood clot to slowly form and eventually break loose or obstruct blood flow to the brain.
Around half of strangulation victims never have visible injuries, and in his 26 years in law enforcement, Bennett said he has personally seen victims suffer life-altering injuries.
Mitchell said she is certain the number of cases being reported to the Pee Dee Coalition is nowhere near the actual number of victims, many of whom will experience strangulation regularly over the course of an abusive relationship.
“Every single time, you’re still putting stress on your brain from the lack of oxygen, even temporarily,” Mitchell said. “That affects memory loss. It affects your general awareness. It affects your ability to stabilize yourself. It affects every aspect of your life, and every single time you’re strangled, it’s gonna keep shortening your lifespan.”
The Pee Dee Coalition supports victims of domestic violence by accompanying them to legal hearings and medical appointments, helping file orders of protection, creating safety plans and by helping with basic needs like emergency shelter.
Mitchell encourages those who want to learn how to better support those experiencing interpersonal violence to reach out. There are also red flags that can indicate someone is being abused, including when a partner isolates, overly controls or constantly monitors someone. However, there are not always clear signs.
“If they ask for help but aren’t ready to actually get help, we need to remind the community in general, be a support person, that it’s okay,” Mitchell added. “We can’t force this person to get help. We understand it’s coming from a good space, and believe me, we want every single victim survivor to get to safety, but we’re also aware of the things that stand in the way, so we want to just make sure they know what their resources are.”
